Secrette
The Secrette (セクレット) is a Japanese plate camera, distributed from 1923 by Sone Shunsuidō, and made by its manufacturing branch Tokyo Camera Works. Description The Secrette is a detective camera shaped as a monocular and taking pictures from the side, inspired by the Ergo of Contessa-Nettel. The mirror viewfinder is disguised inside the fake eyepiece. The plate holders are attached to the flat side of the camera; the distance is set by inserting the holder in one of three positions, for far, mid-range and close pictures. Distance setting: Morishita, p.68 of no.22, and picture in Yazawa, p.13 of no.264. The shutter is a rotating drum, also acting as a lens cover when in closed position; it has T, 1/25, 1/50 and 1/75 settings. Rotating drum: Morishita, pp.68–9 of no.22, showing a picture of a dismantled camera. Shutter speeds: advertisements in Ars Camera April and May 1924, reproduced in Yazawa, p.18 of no.98, p.13 of no.171 and pp.15–6 of no.264. Versions The Secrette exists in two versions. The Regular model has a simple meniscus lens and plain leather covering. It has the words ANACHROMATIC 50m/m inscribed around the lens and TOKYO CAMERA WORKS SECRETTE around the eyepiece. The Special model has a Testar 50/4.5 lens and lizard covering. The Testar lens was specially made by a French company in Paris for Sone Shunsuidō. The lens rim reads T.C.W. PARIS TESTAR and there is a serial number. Picture in Yazawa, p.14 of no.264. The Special also has an additional lever at the top, whose purpose is unknown. Two film formats were used: size (about 4×5cm) format is reiban (零番, No.0) or Sweet size, half of the size. It is usually translated as 4×5cm, but the actual size is closer to 4×5.5cm. and size (4.5×6cm). It is unclear whether the two models were available for the two formats or not (see below). Advertisements Advertisements in Ars Camera dated April and May 1924 boast the Testar Anastigmat f/4.5 lens and lizard covering and say that the camera was delivered with six single-sided metal plate holders; they do not mention the Regular model. Advertisements in Ars Camera April and May 1924, reproduced in Yazawa, p.18 of no.98, p.13 of no.171 and pp.15–6 of no.264. The April advertisement mentions size and gives no price. The May advertisement mentions size and gives the price of . It shows the same illustrations as the previous month and also presents the camera as the "New Argus" (新アーガス); the name New Argus was also used by Saneidō for another detective camera patterned after the original Argus or Ergo. Another advertisement lists the Regular model (並製) in format with a Singlex f/9 lens, for ¥24, and the Special model (特製) in format (4.5×6cm) with a Testar f/4.5 lens, for ¥105. Advertisement reproduced in Morishita, p.70 of no.22. Surviving examples Various surviving examples are known, but mistakes are sometimes made in reporting the exposure format. One example of the Special model, belonging to Mr Morihara, is pictured in and perhaps in other sources as well; it is sometimes reported as size and sometimes as size. Example pictured as size in , item 4011, mentioned as size in Yazawa, p.13 of no.264 and perhaps pictured in the same article. The example pictured in Morishita is maybe the same, and reportedly has size. Morishita, p.68 of no.22. The JCII museum reportedly owns one example of the Special in size and one in size. Example in size and in size respectively pictured here and here in the Center of the History of Japanese Industrial Technology. One example of the Regular model, belonging to Mr Kikuoka, reportedly has size. Example mentioned in Yazawa, p.13 of no.264, and perhaps pictured in the same article. The example pictured in Morishita is maybe the same, and reportedly has size. Morishita, p.68 of no.22. Another example belongs to the Pentax Gallery and reportedly has size. Example pictured in , item 4012, and mentioned in Yazawa, p.13 of no.264. However there is a contradiction between these two sources about item 4011, casting doubts on this report too. Conflicting interpretations From the documents observed so far, it seems quite clear that the Special model was first released in size, and switched to size at some time. No definitive conclusion can be drawn for the Regular model. It certainly exists in size; it might have switched to size some time after the Special model, but this is not confirmed by any advertisement, and the reports of an size Regular model might be mistaken. ( size usually corresponds to inexpensive cameras, such as the Adam or Sweet, whereas size is used on more serious cameras.) Notes Bibliography * P.28. * Morishita Hajime (森下肇). "Atomu-han kamera no subete" (アトム判カメラのすべて, All of Atom-size cameras). Pp.55–70. * Items 4011–2. * Yazawa Seiichirō (矢沢征一郎). "Renzu no hanashi (17) Chinpin renzu Tesutā" (レンズの話17珍品レンズ・テスター, Lens story 17 A rare lens: the Testar). In no.98 (August 1985). Nishinomiya: Camera Collectors News-sha. Pp.17–9. * Yazawa Seiichirō (矢沢征一郎). "Renzu no hanashi (88) Modelā" (レンズの話88モデラー, Lens story 88 The Modelar). In no.171 (September 1991). Nishinomiya: Camera Collectors News-sha. Pp.11–3. * Yazawa Seiichirō (矢沢征一郎). "Renzu no hanashi (174) Tesutā" (レンズの話17珍品レンズ・テスター, Lens story 174 The Testar). In no.264 (June 1999). Nishinomiya: Camera Collectors News-sha. Pp.11–6. Links In Japanese: * Secrette Special (No.0 size) and Secrette Special (atom size) in the Camera database of the Center of the History of Japanese Industrial Technology * Secrette Special in the Nagoya Camera Club Category: Japanese 4x5 plate Category: Japanese 4.5x6 plate Category: S